This was gonna be a Site of the Night thing, but I don't think I have it in me to be tied down to profiling one site a night. I love the internet, and it's a serious business, so I'll probably profile sites that I think you need to read often.
So I'm a TV fan, without a doubt. Prior to that though, I was, and still am, a basketball-obsessed freak. And so, if you're looking for general awesomeness, SLAMonline is the best place to be.
The website and the mag are no chicken-and-egg question; the site exists because they defied the odds and brought a badass magazine to the public. From Scoop Jackson to Dave Zirin, from AI's blowout to LJ throwing down to start it out, SLAM has had some fantastic memories. The magazine has dealt with some tough stuff recently. I've had many qualms with it, and I've been very vocal about them, but for the first time in a while, everything SLAM is looking up. They got rid of the "continued on page..." thing they had going, which I know many magazines do, but it's just awful and annoying. It especially didn't work with this magazine, which uses tons of great action shots and themed backgrounds. Along with getting rid of that annoyance, they're using new design techniques that are gritty-looking, and the fresh toss-up brings new interest to SLAM. As well, it's been on a roll with the covers lately, which have been some damned creative offerings.
Though the magazine's relevance is dropping because of the internet's continued rise, the site is, in one word, awesome. Instead of just profiling players like in their magazine (which is a necessity with their publishing dead-lines, but still...) their impressive roster of incredible writers really shines in delivering a range of thoughtful articles. I will say however, that the site could benefit from more old-school sections, which are often guest-written and very well-done.
The site underwent a shake-up a little while ago, and seems to improve daily. With "The Wire", which provides instant updates regarding the NBA, their very personal and witty All-Star Coverage, the Line of the Night and their much improved video section, SLAMonline is the number one place to be for basketball fans.
So...I'll be expecting my check for this in a few days. Boredom is killing me.
